COMMUNIQUE OF THE 40TH NCARD MEETING

Chief Audu Ogbeh

The 40^th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development (NCARD), with the theme “From Farm to Table” was held in Abeokuta, Ogun State from Monday, 24thn to Thursday, 27^th June, 2013, under the Chairmanship of the Honorable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr.

Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina, CON. The meeting was declared open by his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and FCA.

 

The meeting was attended by 1,121 participants including the Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Gbenga Kaka, the Honorable Commissioner of Agriculture, Ogun State, Mrs. Iberonke Sokefun, Commissioners of Agriculture from the other thirty-five (35) States of the Federation and the Executive Secretary of Agricultural and Rural Development (FCT), and Traditional Rulers.

Participant also included the Representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Financial Institutions, Director General of Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Dr. Frank Nweke, Jr, the Chief Executive Officer, Lagos AgriBusiness Group, Chief Emmanuel Ijewere, President of the Nigerian Animal Association, Mrs. Mope Omotosho, State Permanent Secretaries, Directors and other officials of FMARD, and Private Investors.

Other participants at the meet were the Representatives of FAO, UNIDO and IFAD in Nigeria, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Representatives of Agro-Companies and Dealers, Public Sector Organizations, Civil Society Organizations, as well as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Farmers.

The Honorable Minister led a select group of participants on a courtesy visit to the Alake of Egbaland, His Royal Highness, Oba Micheal Aremu Gbadebo, while other participants visited Olumo Rock and Modern Poultry Farm.

The Council Meeting was preceded by the Technical Session held from 24^th to 26^th June, 2012, under the Headship of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Mrs. Ibukun Odusote. The year 2012 progress reports of the various value chains under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) and the 2013 Action Plan were presented to the meeting.

Report and matters arising from the 39^th Meeting held in Enugu, Enugu State, were exhaustively deliberated upon by Council. A total of 65 memorandums were to be presented, out of which 52 were actually considered, while 4 were stepped down. The issue discussed covered different Commodity Value Chains for the Crop, livestock and fisheries sectors, as well as the various value chains support instruments, to which members resolved as follows.

i.                     Commended the effort of His Excellency, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, for his continuous support to the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).

ii.                   Affirmed that the role of government was to formulate good policies, regulate, supervise, monitor, evaluate and provide necessary enabling environment for private sector investment in the agricultural sector.

iii.                  Commended the commodity value chain approach to agricultural development under the ongoing Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).

iv.                 Enjoined all the thirty-six (36) states and FCT, Abuja to participate effectively in the successful implementation of ATA as a strategy for improving the existing agricultural policy of the FMARD.

v.                   Noted the achievements of the various commodity value chains covering Rice, Sorghum, Cotton, Oil-Palm, Cocoa, Wheat, Maize/Soyabean, Cassava, Beef, Dairy, Poultry, Sesame, Groundnut, Leather, Sheep & Goat, Horticulture, Fisheries Aquaculture and other components of ATA.

vi.                 Applauded the successful take-off of Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) scheme by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in financing agricultural activities along the commodity value chains.

vii.                Applauded the aggressive investment drive of the government at local and international for a, which brought new appreciable investments in the various sub-sectors of agriculture.

viii.              Applauded Government’s assistance to victims of the 2012 flood disaster, on the on-going effort to mitigate the impact of flood disasters in the future and recognize the benefit of agricultural insurance and the success recorded on dry season rice farming and the need for its inclusion in the Rice Transformation Agenda.

ix.                 Commended the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme and the effort of the banks in financing agricultural inputs under the scheme to support agricultural production.

x.                   Commended the report zero level default in payment of loans to Banks by fertilizer companies, which said sold about N15 Billion worth of fertilizers directly to farmers under the GES scheme nationwide.

xi.                 Noted the on-going National Farmers Census which was aimed at establishing a National Farmers Biometric Data Bank and improving agricultural planning.

xii.                Noted the proposal to establish Staple Crop Processing Zones (SCPZs) in fourteen (14) selected sites to reduce post-harvest losses as well as add value to locally processed food.

xiii.              Noted the on-going effort to revamp the national agricultural extension system, and encouraged all states to play their expected roles in the scheme.

xiv.              Noted that the effort of government to commission and concession complete Silo complexes and One Stop Shops / Agro-Processing Centers and to commence the pilot phase of the warehouse Receipt system to allow Private Sector participation in the food storage programme.

xv.               Noted the policy framework currently in place, using Cocoa Value Chain model for establishment of Commodity Trade and Market Development Corporations for other value chains.

xvi.              Acknowledged the role of research and development in the successful implementation of the on=going Agricultural transformation Agenda.

xvii.            Approved the integration of the Farmers Business School (FBS) into the Farmers Field School (FFS) system to encourage agribusiness.

xviii.           Noted the need to develop new generation of young Nagropreneurs to replace aging farmers in the country through the consolidation of all programmes on youth’s around the youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP) for collaborative implementation by Federal and State Government.

xix.              Commended the effort of National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) to commercialize develop agricultural technologies, and urge states to patronize centre.

xx.               Approved the conduct of 2010 Series of National Agricultural Sample Census and collaboration between FMARD and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its implementation.

xxi.              Approved Marine Stewardship Council’s certificate of Nigerian fisheries resources and development of Artisanal monitoring Control and Surveillance centers in the coastal areas.

xxii.            Endorsed the establishment of Market and Trade Corporations for effective implementation of ATA.

xxiii.           Noted the need for collaboration between the Land Resources Department and the Federal Department of Fertilizer to ensure the right fertilizers were applied by farmers to specific soil conditions for quality assurance and enhanced productivity.

xxiv.          Urged the Nigeria Customs Service to properly police the nation’s borders to prevent illegal importation and smuggling of livestock products and fish products.

xxv.            Approved implementation of the resolution of the Experts Consultative Forum on Rinderpest Virus and Vaccine Sequestration in Nigeria.

xxvi.          Approved the establishment of Kolanut Value Chain because of its economic importance in the country.

xxvii.         Approved the strengthening of the National Agricultural Quarantine Service to control emerging pest and diseases.

xxviii.       Endorse the transformation of the Agriculture Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) into a more responsive and effective research and development organization in the model EMBRAPA in Brazil.

xxix.          Approved the next steps in the implementation of Halal Certified Meat Processing and Packaging centre in Nigeria.

xxx.            Approved commencement of warehouse Receipt System as well as the concessioning of thirty-three (33) Silo complexes in collaboration with ICRC and the World Bank.

xxxi.          Appreciated the expression of interest by the Kano State Government to host the 41^st Regular Meeting of NCARD in 2014.

xxxii.         Expressed its profound appreciation to Executive Governor and the good people of Ogun State for the excellent hosting of the 40^th Regular Session of the NCARD in Abeokuta Ogun State.